The invention relates to a spooling or bobbining device for continuously incoming threads and the like with at least one bobbin holder for receiving several bobbin tubes or cases, which can be engaged over or removed from a free end of the bobbin holder, whose other end is fixed.
Spooling devices are known per se and are used for spooling yarns, threads, wire, etc.
As a result of ever increasing rationalization the aim is to spool as many bobbins as possible in the shortest possible time. For example DE 195 20 28 and DE 39 09 106 A1 disclose a bobbin revolving means, which carries two bobbin holders, whereof one which is located in the operating position is wound with threads and the like and the second which is located in the inoperative position, where the wound bobbin tubes can be removed and replaced by new ones.
One possibility for increasing the capacity of such a spooling device is to increase the number of the bobbin tubes located on the bobbin holder and which can be simultaneously wound. The limiting factor in the prior art in this connection is constituted by the bobbin holder which, on exceeding a given length, under the force acting during the winding of the threads tends to sag as a result of an only one-sided mounting, so that the driving forces applied by friction for the rotation of the bobbins close to the free end of the bobbin holder are no longer sufficient to ensure a completely satisfactory operation.
The problem of the present invention is to propose a spooling device, in which the number of bobbin tubes to be placed on the bobbin holder can be significantly increased without the aforementioned disadvantages occurring.
In the case of the aforementioned spooling device, this problem is solved by the present invention in that the spooling device has a support mechanism in engagement with the free end of the at least one bobbin holder in the operating position.
As a result of the additional support mechanism at the free end of the bobbin holder, there is consequently a two-sided supporting thereof in operation.
The invention can be used in the case of different spooling devices, such as those with only one bobbin holder or also those having several bobbin holders. The invention can in particular be used in the case of a spooling device with a bobbin revolving means carrying two bobbin holders, which in this way are rotatable by means of the bobbin revolving means between an operating position and a setting up or loading position. However, the use of the invention is not restricted to such a spooling device.
Advantageously the support mechanism has a member for engaging in the free end of the bobbin holder. This ensures that the positioning of the individual bobbins on the bobbin holder is not impaired by the support mechanism and the support mechanism member for engaging in the free end of the bobbin holder is advantageously a mandrel.
According to a preferred development there is a non-positive engagement of the support mechanism. This ensures the engagement of the support mechanism in the bobbin holder, because there is consequently no relative movement between the two members which could impair the support function.
For the secure, non-positive reception of the support mechanism the bobbin holder has at its free end a corresponding bore.
Advantageously the support mechanism is constructed in such a way that the member in engagement with the free end of the bobbin holder is mounted in rotary manner therein, so that the member engaging in the free end of the bobbin holder can rotate therewith, whereas the support mechanism remains stationary.
Preferably said means are constituted by ball bearings.
According to an advantageous further development the member for engagement in the bobbin holder is substantially aligned therewith. This offers the possibility of a direct introduction of the member into the bobbin holder bore without impairing the movement of the bobbin revolving means.
In an alternative construction the free end of the bobbin holder has a mounting support rotatable relative thereto for the member engageable therewith and in particular the mounting support for the support mechanism member engageable therewith is mounted by means of a ball bearing. According to a further development the support mechanism member engageable with the bobbin holder is placed in non-rotary manner on the same. As a result the member carried by the support mechanism and engaging in the bobbin holder for supporting the same no longer rotates together therewith, so that it does not have to be brought in precisely aligned manner in engagement with the bobbin holder axis and no true running problems arise, because the engageable member, particularly a mandrel, does not rotate with the bobbin holder and instead remains stationary.
According to a preferred development the support mechanism has a sliding bush for receiving the member for engagement in the bobbin holder and which permits a sliding of the member in an aligned direction with respect to the bobbin holder. As a result of the sliding bush the member, together with the ball bearing for its rotary mounting, can be brought into or moved out of its operating position with the bobbin holder.
Advantageously the sliding bush can be slid along the longitudinal axis of the bobbin holder, so that the support mechanism member can be moved out of its operating position in such a way that the bobbin holder can be rotated by the bobbin revolving means from the supported operating position into the unsupported inoperative position for removing the wound tubes.
Preferably the support mechanism has means for sliding the sliding bush and consequently also the member mounted in rotary manner in said sliding bush.
Advantageously the support mechanism is placed in fixed manner on the spooling device, so that it can always be brought into engagement with the bobbin holder in the operating position, whereas with the bobbin holder in the inoperative position by means of its free end the wound bobbin tubes can be removed and new bobbin tubes fitted.